By a vote of 21-14, the Maine State Senate has adopted LD 1020, which would legalize gay marriage. The bill will now move to the House, where it is expected to pass by a wide margin. Roll call and info below the fold.
Updated with more content and my opinion. Because I'm sure everyone cares what I think. But more than one paragraph now!
(3:15 PM: I do have to work for a living, so I'm going to do that now. I'll be back later to comment further. Thanks for bringing this to the Rec List, everyone!)
LD 1020 passes by vote of 21-14. All but one Democrat (from conservative Aroostook County) and two Republicans voted Yea.
ALFOND of Cumberland (D): YEA
BARTLETT of Cumberland (D): YEA
BLISS of Cumberland (D): YEA
BOWMAN of York (D): YEA
BRANNIGAN of Cumberland (D): YEA
BRYANT of Oxford (D): YEA
COURTNEY of York (R): NAY
CRAVEN of Androscoggin (D): YEA
DAMON of Hancock (D): YEA (He'd better, it's his bill!)
DAVIS of Cumberland (R): NAY
DIAMOND of Cumberland (D): YEA
GERZOFSKY of Cumberland (D): YEA
GOODALL of Sagadahoc (D): YEA
GOOLEY of Franklin (R): NAY
HASTINGS of Oxford (R): NAY
HOBBINS of York (D): YEA
JACKSON of Aroostook (D): NAY
MARRACHÉ of Kennebec (D): YEA
McCORMICK of Kennebec (R): NAY
MILLS of Somerset (R): YEA
MITCHELL of Kennebec (D): YEA (My Senator, woohoo!)
NASS of York (R): NAY
NUTTING of Androscoggin (D): YEA
PERRY of Penobscot (D): YEA
PLOWMAN of Penobscot (R): NAY
RAYE of Washington (R): NAY
RECTOR of Knox (R): YEA
ROSEN of Hancock (R): NAY
SCHNEIDER of Penobscot (D): YEA
SHERMAN of Aroostook (R): NAY
SIMPSON of Androscoggin (D): YEA
SMITH of Piscataquis (R): NAY
SULLIVAN of York (D): YEA
TRAHAN of Lincoln (R): NAY
WESTON of Waldo (R): NAY
This bill will easily pass the House. Governor Baldacci, a Democrat, has remained mum on the bill, and previous has stated he opposes gay marriage. However, with the polls showing support, and a near veto-proof majority in the State Senate, I wouldn't be surprised to see him sign the bill into law when it hits his desk. He is term-limited after all. That said, a commenter suggested I post his contact info, so here you go:
Postal Address:
Office of the Governor
#1 State House Station
Augusta, ME 04333-0001
Phone:
207-287-3531
207-287-6548 (TTY)
Fax:
207-287-1034
***
Expect that a People's Veto referendum campaign will kick off shortly after passage. However, the last attempt by the religious right to get a gay rights bill off the books crashed and burned miserably, so we'll see if they can get the 50,000-plus signatures needed to veto this bill. They'll only have about two months to do it, and the People's Veto process is very unwieldy. You need a lot of money to get the signatures in time, just ask the beverage industry, who spent millions to get a soda, beer, and wine tax repealed.
Peter Mills, a Republican from Somerset County, was in support of this bill. He ran for Governor in 2006 and got creamed in the primary. I think it's evident from his vote on this legislation that he has no plans to run again, because he just signed his own death warrant on that idea. No way will he defeat a wingnut now if he couldn't the last time. Good news for the Democrats, because Peter Mills would coast in a general election. (Of course, he ranks among a rare breed, Republicans I admire and respect, so there you go.)
Enjoy the news, and comment away!